This invention relates to print heads and more particularly to a print head utilizing a printed circuit type cable to facilitate and simplify electrical connection of the print head solenoids to circuitry for driving the solenoids.
Print heads of the dot matrix type are typically comprised of a plurality of print wire driving solenoids each driving an associated print wire. One print head of this type is disclosed in copending Application Ser. No. 772,459 filed Feb. 28, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,940 issued Aug. 28, 1979. The print head disclosed therein is provided with a plurality of solenoids each comprised of a magnetic assembly, a coil wrapped about said assembly and an armature which is attracted to the magnetic assembly when current is passed through the coil. The moving armature drives a print wire in a forward direction causing the tip of the impact against a paper document, as is conventional in such apparatus.
The solenoid coils are electrically connected to a printed circuit by conductors extending to terminals in a flexible printed circuit member which is adapted to couple the solenoids to driver circuits remote from the print head. The operations required to make electrical connections between the solenoid coils and the printed circuit member are tedious and time consuming and, in addition the flexible printed circuit occupies an inordinate amount of space requiring a large amount of clearance space within the printer. Also, the manner in which the printed circuit is secured to the print head yields an awkward, impractical design which further complicates the operation, assembly, maintenance and repair of the print head.